


Don't Let Go

by TheStoryVerse



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, But the angst isn't really in that realm ;), Gen, Hanging for their lives, Lance's insecurities showed up, Oops, Small bonding between Keith and Lance, The others show up mostly in Ch. 2, What is the life of a replaceable blue paladin compared to that of the Red?, bonding moment, y'all be glad I'm not leaving you off at the end of ch. 1, yes there is a ch. 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 16:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10031894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStoryVerse/pseuds/TheStoryVerse
Summary: “Don’t you dare let go Keith!”  Lance shrieked as he clung tighter to Keith’s waist.“Why the quiznak would I let go!?”  Keith yelled back, frustrated and exhausted from the strain of holding them both up.Sweat poured down Keith’s forehead, arms, and back as he struggled to maintain his grip on the branch above them.  It was the only thing keeping him and Lance from plunging to their death in a chasm that undoubtedly had some sort of sharp rocks littering its bottom.  Thank goodness for my gloves, Keith thought sullenly as he felt the sweat dripping down onto his hands.  If it wasn’t for the fabric, he might’ve slipped and sent them both down much sooner.  He subconsciously tightened his grip around Lance’s shirt.Based on that one scene from Mulan 2 ;) You know the one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this wonderful art on tumblr! [Keith and Lance dangling precariously from a cliff](http://soumadian.tumblr.com/post/153956824810)
> 
> (My first time linking, hopefully it works. If not just copy and paste cause the link is right)

“Don’t you dare let go Keith!” Lance shrieked as he clung tighter to Keith’s waist.

“Why the quiznak would I let go!?” Keith yelled back, frustrated and exhausted from the strain of holding them both up.

Sweat poured down Keith’s forehead, arms, and back as he struggled to maintain his grip on the branch above them. It was the only thing keeping him and Lance from plunging to their death in a chasm that undoubtedly had some sort of sharp rocks littering its bottom. _Thank goodness for my gloves_ , Keith thought sullenly as he felt the sweat dripping down onto his hands. If it wasn’t for the fabric, he might’ve slipped and sent them both down much sooner. He subconsciously tightened his grip around Lance’s shirt.

Keith may have been in the most pain, trying to support two people with just one arm, but Lance was in the most precarious position. Lance was clinging to Keith’s front like a monkey, arms wrapped desperately over Keith’s torso as his legs locked around Keith’s waist. He kept giving panicked glances down to the dark abyss below. It was so far down that they couldn’t see anything past some odd, roiling brown clouds that appeared far from friendly. Lance gulped.

How they had gotten out there and been caught off guard by those lousy galra drones _-that weren’t even supposed to be on this planet-_ in just their normal clothes was beyond him. And with no way to contact the castle. Of freaking _course_. Keith just prayed his silent message to Red had gotten through, and that his lion was either coming to fetch him or getting all the paladins out to save them soon.

“-Keith!”

Keith flinched. He’d been so wrapped up in thinking about Red and the others, he hadn’t noticed Lance calling out to him. “What?” He said, annoyance coloring his tone.

Lance let out a nervous laugh. “It’s just that, do you think anyone’s coming? I mean they had to have been looking for us by now; we’ve been missing for a long time. And I mean, dude don’t get me wrong I know you’re strong -tough guy and all that- but how much longer can you even hold us? Cause seriously I’m getting tired and just a little bit freaked out.” Keith’s eye twitched and he sucked in what he hoped was a deep, calming breath as Lance continued rambling. “-What about the lions? Shouldn’t they have sensed us in danger and found us by now? I mean, we know you have a pretty ok relationship with Red what with her always coming to save you, and Blue and I are _so tight_ and just flawless together, really the best duo on the team-” Keith grit his teeth and cut off Lance’s babbling sharply.

“It would be much easier to hold on if I could focus, _Lance_.”

Lance glared at Keith. “Well excuse me, but we deal in different ways ok? I talk, you brood.” Lance smirked as Keith bristled indignantly.

“I do not brood!”

Lance snorted. “Uh huh, sure. Then what’s with always being off alone, glowering in some corner whenever we all want to do things together? I get the introvert thing cause, you know, Hunk and Pidge, but you’re crossing the line from asocial to antisocial.”

“Oh wow, Lance. Big words there. I didn’t think you had it in you.” Keith glowered, finding a small bit of satisfaction as he saw it was Lance’s turn to bristle. But he cut Lance off before Lance could begin his retort. “Besides,” Keith’s frustrated expression masked over to become unreadable as he lifted his chin and resolutely glared at the opposite edge of the cavern. “I think you’ve made it pretty clear what you think of me.” Keith grunted as he spoke, slightly readjusting his grip to ease up on some of the strain for a moment. He sent another plea to his lion. _Why wasn't she answering?_

“What?” Lance said sarcastically. “You mean that you’re Shiro’s favorite or that I’m always, _always_ being compared to you? That no matter what I do you, just don’t care? That no one does, because I’ll never be good enough will I?” Lance laughed bitterly. “I’ll never be as smart as Hunk or Pidge, or as strong and capable a leader as Shiro, or as good as _you_. And once again, we’re caught in a serious predicament and when it’s all over you’ll be the hero, while I can’t do anything but cling for my life like some damsel in distress.” Lance’s lips curled up into a sneer and Keith looked down at him, surprised and a little unnerved to see Lance fighting back angry tears, sweat pouring down Lance’s forehead as he shook from the effort of repressing his emotions and fighting to maintain his grip on Keith.

Keith was shocked. Lance was _never_ this open to him. They’d had some bonding moments before (which _did_ happen, _Lance_. And for which he’d been grateful), but never any really deep or meaningful conversations. _Quiznak, Lance must be really stressed if he was being this open_. Keith thought. An odd pang flashed through Keith. Well, at least now he realized that this was probably why Lance was always so callous with him. Keith couldn’t stop a slight surge of annoyance at Lance’s ridiculous jealousy. _Didn’t that idiot realize what he had, how important he was to everyone!_

Keith opened his mouth to reply, a slight bite to his tone that he quickly tried to shove down, “Lance, I don’t think-”

*CRACK*

Keith and Lance both cried out in shock and fear as the branch Keith was hanging onto suddenly groaned and, with a loud crack, tilted downward sharply. Keith clung onto the branch, his other hand scrabbling at Lance’s back as the other paladin slipped screaming down Keith’s waist.

“LANCE!”

Lance managed to lock his arms around Keith’s waist, halting his fall, but his legs were now dangling freely over the pit below them. Keith’s grip on Lance had tightened so hard that he could feel the muscles in his hand aching and screaming in protest. They swayed dangerously and for a few perilous moments, Keith thought that they were going to fall. He let out a pained yell as his arm strained; shoulder viciously protesting the violent treatment it had received. But Keith held on, adrenalin and a sudden surge of hope as he heard Red’s roar in his mind clamping his hand around the branch in a death grip. It was distant, but _they could still make it_.

Keith’s heart was lodged in his throat, beating thunderously and painfully as he heard Lance gasping and hyperventilating, feet kicking beneath him. _That was too close-_ Keith sucked in a sharp breath as the branch gave another ominous groan.

“Lance! Be quiet and quit moving!” Keith hissed in alarm. Lance froze. The branch that had been supporting them for so long was now dangling precariously low, its edges peeling away from the rock wall. Keith’s eyes widened as he traced his sight along the limb. He could see large cracks in the dark bark. It didn’t look like it would hold them much longer. Lance, it seemed, had come to the same conclusion.

“Keith.” He whispered, voice much softer than Keith was expecting. “I don’t think-” Lance gulped again. “I don’t think it can hold us both.”

Keith grit his teeth. “It just has to hold us until the lions arrive. It’ll manage until then.” As if in response, the branch gave another loud protest. Keith let slip another pained cry as searing flames shot up his arm and centered in his shoulder. Lance, however, was eerily silent. Keith glanced down at his fellow paladin, friend? _What even were they?_ To see how Lance was holding up, but Lance was still staring at the branch where it creaked and groaned, cracks growing larger with every passing second. He had an odd look on his face, one that Keith couldn’t place. But he knew, instinctively, in a sudden rush of dread, that whatever Lance was thinking, wasn’t good.

“Hey.” Keith called, trying to think of something to say. “It’s going to be ok. Red’s coming, I heard her call. The others can’t be far behind.”

“It’s not going to hold Keith. I can hear Blue too, but…” Lance trailed off. The fear in his eyes was blatant, and Keith knew the emotion was reflected in his own. They were sinking. The branch was _sinking_. And every passing second they could see the situation growing steadily worse. And the lions were still so far away! _Too far_. Keith realized with a jolt. _Lance is right. There was no way it was going to hold them long enough_. Dread rushed through him, chilling his blood at the thought.

They both screamed again as the branch let out another resounding crack and swung low, now dangling by only about half of the bark. Lance was shaking violently, trying to calm himself. Keith cried out in his head, _RED!_ He heard his lion’s enraged and fearful roar and could see a pinprick in the distance, speeding towards them. _Not fast enough, faster, faster!_

Lance choked. “Keith. It won’t hold us both.”

“It will, Lance. It will. Red’s coming. I see her, she’s coming.”

“Keith…” Keith looked down at Lance. His arms had been burning so long he could no longer feel them, and the branch was now hanging by only a third of its trunk and getting lower by the second. Lance smiled sadly, but he was shaking. Tears tracks ran down his cheeks as he looked up at Keith, an ocean of different emotions fighting and swirling within his eyes, before Keith saw them clear and two remain, mingling together: determination and acceptance. “I’m sorry.”

“Lance, what do you mean? Lance, NO!”

And then, he let go. Keith watched in sickening horror as Lance slipped away from him and fell. He tried desperately to grab onto Lance, to hold onto him. But Lance was too heavy and Keith was too fatigued. Keith screamed and screamed as he watched Lance slip away, falling beneath the clouds. A small, pained smile and eyes full of fear and warmth were the last things he saw of Lance, as the team’s precious blue paladin plummeted beneath the choking clouds.

“No, no! Lance, _Lance!_ LANCE, PLEASE LANCE!”

Keith sobbed as he clung onto the branch. Too late his brain registered the roar of the lions as his fellow paladins shot down to him. Keith looked up, tears streaming down his face as he saw all of the lions rushing towards him.

“No, no not me! Lance, save Lance! Save him! Shiro, PLEASE!” Keith screamed desperately, shaking with disbelief and the force of his sobs. But Lance had already fallen, and the branch was no longer shaking to support his weight. It would hold now. Just long enough. Lance had made sure of that.

He knew that Shiro couldn’t hear his screams, but Red and Blue responded, both pelting past him and into the cavern below. Keith braved a single glance down. But as the Green Lion approached and opened its maw to let him in, Keith could see nothing but the silent darkness below.

**Author's Note:**

> Other considered titles included:  
> Out on a Limb ;)  
> Falling for You XD (I actually really like this one. Might change the title to it sometime..)  
> Falling Inside the Blue (play on Falling Inside the Black for those who don't know the song;)


End file.
